Just weeks after the Class of 2020 was inducted, the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame have announced the Class of 2021 which will be honored on September 26 in a ceremony at Lincoln East High School.
Among the honorees are Bruce Chubick Sr. and Bruce Chubick Jr., the second father-son duo in three years to enter the Hall of Fame together, joining Larry and Scott Frost, who were inducted in 2019.
Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame - Class of 2021
ATHLETES
Elizabeth (Bahensky) Schott, Kearney (1996)
The two-time Class A golf champion played on four championship teams for the Bearcats and participated in tennis. She went undefeated her senior year and led Kearney to a 62-stroke win at the state tournament. At Nebraska, she earned four letters, and her 25th place finish at the 2000 NCAA National Championships was the highest individual finish for an NU golfer.
Dani (Busboom) Kelly, Freeman (2003)
A four-time all-state selection in volleyball and basketball, she also won the Class D state title in the high hurdles as a senior. She was a four-year starter in volleyball at Nebraska and now serves as the head volleyball coach at the University of Louisville.
Bruce Chubick Jr., Atkinson West Holt (1989)
Eighth on the state's career scoring list in boys basketball, he was a two-time Super State selection, and the Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year in 1989, averaging more than 30 points per game his junior and senior seasons. He was a two-time state medalist in the high jump. He went on to letter for four years during one of the greatest stretches in Nebraska basketball history. He played professionally for eight years overseas and in Omaha.
Molly Hill, Wayne (2005)
In her senior year for the Blue Devils, Hill set the Nebraska high school single-season state record for ERA at 0.00 and strikeouts with 543 in only 222.0 innings, having faced 726 batters and allowed only 22 total hits and 19 walks the entire season. She also set career state records with 33 no-hitters and 10 perfect games, with three of those perfect games seeing her strike out all 21 batters in a game. In total, she was a part of 11 state records. A two-time captain of the Omaha World-Herald's All-Nebraska softball team, she also earned first team Super State honors from the Lincoln Journal Star. At Nebraska, Molly was a four-time letter winner whose career record was 75-43 and she is among the school leaders in several career categories.
Bob Mackie, Omaha Tech (1951)
Was a three-year starter in basketball and a four-year starter in baseball. He participated in both sports at University of Omaha and was a four-year letterman in basketball while also graduating as one of the school's top five in scoring. He coached state championship teams at Ralston in basketball (1964) and baseball (1967) and was Omaha Northwest High School's first athletic director.
Kurt Mann, Grand Island (2002)
A three-year starter at Nebraska in football, he was a three-sport athlete at Grand Island. He started three years on the Islanders' offensive line, lettered four years in basketball and started for the 2001-02 state champions and made the all-time charts with a throw of 62' 4" in the shot put.
Curtis Marshall, Omaha Creighton Prep (1991)
The state's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year averaged 30.5 points as a senior to finish as the fifth-leading Class A scorer in state history. At North Carolina State, he was a 1,000-point scorer who ranked high on the school's assist and 3-point field goals career charts.
Rhonda (McCormick) Perlinger, Wheatland (1978)
The 1978 Omaha World-Herald girls athlete of the year was a three-sport standout. As a senior she was a high school All-American in volleyball, was Class D all-state in basketball and had the No. 5 all-time mark in the shot put.
Meredy Porter-Smith, Bellevue West (1987)
Her state record of 5' 11" in the high jump remains the state record today. She was the Gatorade regional track and field athlete of the year in 1987. She also played volleyball for the Thunderbirds. At Nebraska, she was a two-time Big Eight high jump champion and captain of the 1991 team.
Zach Potter, Omaha Creighton Prep (2005)
The two-sport All-Nebraska first teamer started three years in football and four in basketball at Creighton Prep. At Nebraska, he twice was named All-Big 12 as a defensive lineman. He spent six years in the NFL and retired from football in 2014.
Sammie (Resh) Gdowski, Shelton (1985)
She never lost a high school race in the 1,600 or 3,200 meters while being crowned the Class C state champion in both events all four years of her high school career. She earned 11 letters over four sports while at Shelton. At Nebraska, she gained All-American honors in track and cross country. She ran professionally for six years and made it into the world top 20 rankings in the 3,000 meters.
Dennis Thorell, Loomis (1963)
Was a two-year starter at defensive back for the Huskers. At the 1963 state track meet he set Class D state records in the high and low hurdles and the long jump. He was also crowned the all-class gold medalist in the long jump as a junior in 1962. He was an eight-man football all-stater as a sophomore and also starred on the basketball court at Loomis.
COACHES
Tim Aylward, Lincoln Pius X
Returned to his high school alma mater and retired there with a career football record of 201-131. The Thunderbolts won state championships in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2004. His teams were in the playoffs 22 times and in the state semifinals eight times. He was the Omaha World-Herald Coach of the Year in 1999.
Bruce Chubick Sr., Omaha South
His basketball coaching career has spanned five decades and six schools. His teams were state champions at Atkinson West Holt in 1988 and at Omaha South in 2016 and 2019. He was the 2016 Omaha World Herald Coach of the Year.
Terry Graver, Elkhorn South
During a 35-year career in which he coached at five schools, his teams won more than 500 games in softball, with five state championships and four runner-up teams at Elkhorn and Elkhorn South. He won more than 200 basketball games, including the 2016 Class B state championship, at Elkhorn South.
Doug Woodard, Bellevue West
The Omaha World-Herald's Coach of the Year in 2000 has guided his teams to more than 600 wins in a 40-year career that includes five state championships, four at Bellevue West and one at Omaha Roncalli, and four runner-up finishes.
CONTRIBUTORS
Steve Johnsen
The executive director of the Nebraska Coaches Association from 1986-2012 also coached three girls golf championship teams at Lincoln Southeast.
Larry Porter
Traveled the state as the prep sports writer for the Omaha World-Herald from 1976 to 1990. During that period he oversaw the growth of coverage of girls athletics as the NSAA was expanding from four classes to six.
OFFICIAL
Tim Higgins, Grand Island
Excelled as an official in football, basketball, volleyball and baseball on the high school and college levels.
HONOREES
Great Moments in High School Sports
Filley v. Barneston 1967 boys basketball game. The game is the second-highest scoring game in state history with 223 combined points.
Dominant Dynasties
Malcolm boys and girls cross country, 1985 to 2019.
Ron Gustafson Inspiration Award
Addie Schiemann, Arlington/Fremont, a qualifier for the 2020 Paralympics.
Fischer Family Award
Denny and Adeline Meyer, Superior. Six of their sons were prep athletes, with Rick and Andy enshrined in the Hall. Andy's daughter Kalynn is the first three-time girls state athlete of the year and is a volleyball player at Nebraska.
Golden Anniversary Teams
David City boys basketball and football (1971-1972)
North Loup-Scotia football (1971)
Silver Anniversary Teams
Columbus Scotus volleyball (1996)
Papillion-LaVista football (1996)
Among the honorees are Bruce Chubick Sr. and Bruce Chubick Jr., the second father-son duo in three years to enter the Hall of Fame together, joining Larry and Scott Frost, who were inducted in 2019.
Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame - Class of 2021
ATHLETES
Elizabeth (Bahensky) Schott, Kearney (1996)
The two-time Class A golf champion played on four championship teams for the Bearcats and participated in tennis. She went undefeated her senior year and led Kearney to a 62-stroke win at the state tournament. At Nebraska, she earned four letters, and her 25th place finish at the 2000 NCAA National Championships was the highest individual finish for an NU golfer.
Dani (Busboom) Kelly, Freeman (2003)
A four-time all-state selection in volleyball and basketball, she also won the Class D state title in the high hurdles as a senior. She was a four-year starter in volleyball at Nebraska and now serves as the head volleyball coach at the University of Louisville.
Bruce Chubick Jr., Atkinson West Holt (1989)
Eighth on the state's career scoring list in boys basketball, he was a two-time Super State selection, and the Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year in 1989, averaging more than 30 points per game his junior and senior seasons. He was a two-time state medalist in the high jump. He went on to letter for four years during one of the greatest stretches in Nebraska basketball history. He played professionally for eight years overseas and in Omaha.
Molly Hill, Wayne (2005)
In her senior year for the Blue Devils, Hill set the Nebraska high school single-season state record for ERA at 0.00 and strikeouts with 543 in only 222.0 innings, having faced 726 batters and allowed only 22 total hits and 19 walks the entire season. She also set career state records with 33 no-hitters and 10 perfect games, with three of those perfect games seeing her strike out all 21 batters in a game. In total, she was a part of 11 state records. A two-time captain of the Omaha World-Herald's All-Nebraska softball team, she also earned first team Super State honors from the Lincoln Journal Star. At Nebraska, Molly was a four-time letter winner whose career record was 75-43 and she is among the school leaders in several career categories.
Bob Mackie, Omaha Tech (1951)
Was a three-year starter in basketball and a four-year starter in baseball. He participated in both sports at University of Omaha and was a four-year letterman in basketball while also graduating as one of the school's top five in scoring. He coached state championship teams at Ralston in basketball (1964) and baseball (1967) and was Omaha Northwest High School's first athletic director.
Kurt Mann, Grand Island (2002)
A three-year starter at Nebraska in football, he was a three-sport athlete at Grand Island. He started three years on the Islanders' offensive line, lettered four years in basketball and started for the 2001-02 state champions and made the all-time charts with a throw of 62' 4" in the shot put.
Curtis Marshall, Omaha Creighton Prep (1991)
The state's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year averaged 30.5 points as a senior to finish as the fifth-leading Class A scorer in state history. At North Carolina State, he was a 1,000-point scorer who ranked high on the school's assist and 3-point field goals career charts.
Rhonda (McCormick) Perlinger, Wheatland (1978)
The 1978 Omaha World-Herald girls athlete of the year was a three-sport standout. As a senior she was a high school All-American in volleyball, was Class D all-state in basketball and had the No. 5 all-time mark in the shot put.
Meredy Porter-Smith, Bellevue West (1987)
Her state record of 5' 11" in the high jump remains the state record today. She was the Gatorade regional track and field athlete of the year in 1987. She also played volleyball for the Thunderbirds. At Nebraska, she was a two-time Big Eight high jump champion and captain of the 1991 team.
Zach Potter, Omaha Creighton Prep (2005)
The two-sport All-Nebraska first teamer started three years in football and four in basketball at Creighton Prep. At Nebraska, he twice was named All-Big 12 as a defensive lineman. He spent six years in the NFL and retired from football in 2014.
Sammie (Resh) Gdowski, Shelton (1985)
She never lost a high school race in the 1,600 or 3,200 meters while being crowned the Class C state champion in both events all four years of her high school career. She earned 11 letters over four sports while at Shelton. At Nebraska, she gained All-American honors in track and cross country. She ran professionally for six years and made it into the world top 20 rankings in the 3,000 meters.
Dennis Thorell, Loomis (1963)
Was a two-year starter at defensive back for the Huskers. At the 1963 state track meet he set Class D state records in the high and low hurdles and the long jump. He was also crowned the all-class gold medalist in the long jump as a junior in 1962. He was an eight-man football all-stater as a sophomore and also starred on the basketball court at Loomis.
COACHES
Tim Aylward, Lincoln Pius X
Returned to his high school alma mater and retired there with a career football record of 201-131. The Thunderbolts won state championships in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2004. His teams were in the playoffs 22 times and in the state semifinals eight times. He was the Omaha World-Herald Coach of the Year in 1999.
Bruce Chubick Sr., Omaha South
His basketball coaching career has spanned five decades and six schools. His teams were state champions at Atkinson West Holt in 1988 and at Omaha South in 2016 and 2019. He was the 2016 Omaha World Herald Coach of the Year.
Terry Graver, Elkhorn South
During a 35-year career in which he coached at five schools, his teams won more than 500 games in softball, with five state championships and four runner-up teams at Elkhorn and Elkhorn South. He won more than 200 basketball games, including the 2016 Class B state championship, at Elkhorn South.
Doug Woodard, Bellevue West
The Omaha World-Herald's Coach of the Year in 2000 has guided his teams to more than 600 wins in a 40-year career that includes five state championships, four at Bellevue West and one at Omaha Roncalli, and four runner-up finishes.
CONTRIBUTORS
Steve Johnsen
The executive director of the Nebraska Coaches Association from 1986-2012 also coached three girls golf championship teams at Lincoln Southeast.
Larry Porter
Traveled the state as the prep sports writer for the Omaha World-Herald from 1976 to 1990. During that period he oversaw the growth of coverage of girls athletics as the NSAA was expanding from four classes to six.
OFFICIAL
Tim Higgins, Grand Island
Excelled as an official in football, basketball, volleyball and baseball on the high school and college levels.
HONOREES
Great Moments in High School Sports
Filley v. Barneston 1967 boys basketball game. The game is the second-highest scoring game in state history with 223 combined points.
Dominant Dynasties
Malcolm boys and girls cross country, 1985 to 2019.
Ron Gustafson Inspiration Award
Addie Schiemann, Arlington/Fremont, a qualifier for the 2020 Paralympics.
Fischer Family Award
Denny and Adeline Meyer, Superior. Six of their sons were prep athletes, with Rick and Andy enshrined in the Hall. Andy's daughter Kalynn is the first three-time girls state athlete of the year and is a volleyball player at Nebraska.
Golden Anniversary Teams
David City boys basketball and football (1971-1972)
North Loup-Scotia football (1971)
Silver Anniversary Teams
Columbus Scotus volleyball (1996)
Papillion-LaVista football (1996)
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